Patent Application
20180087331
In the exploration of oil, gas and geothermal energy, drilling operations are used to create boreholes, or wells, in the earth. Modern drilling rigs may have two, three, or even four mast sections for sequential connection and raising above a substructure. The drilling rigs are transported to the locations where drilling activity is to be commenced. Once transported, large rig components are moved from a transport trailer into engagement with the other components located on the drilling pad.
Moving a full-size drilling rig requires significant disassembly and reassembly of the substructure, mast, and related component. Speed of disassembly and reassembly impacts profitability but safety is the primary concern. A reduction in disassembly reduces errors and delay in reassembly.
Transportation constraints and cost limit many of the design opportunities for building drilling rigs that can drill a well faster. Conventional drilling involves having a drill bit on the bottom of the well. A bottom-hole assembly is located immediately above the drill bit where directional sensors and communications equipment, batteries, mud motors, and stabilizing equipment are provided to help guide the drill bit to the desired subterranean target.
A set of drill collars are located above the bottom-hole assembly to provide a non-collapsible source of weight to help the drill bit crush the formation. Heavy weight drill pipe is located above the drill collars for safety. The remainder of the drill string is mostly drill pipe, designed to be under tension. Each drill pipe is roughly 30 feet long, but lengths vary based on the style. It is common to store lengths of drill pipe in “doubles” (two connected lengths) or “triples” (three connected lengths) or even “fourables” (four connected lengths). A “tubular stand” refers to connected sections of drill pipe, drill collars, or casing.
When the drill bit wears out, or when service, repairs or adjustments need to be made to the bottom-hole assembly, the drill string (drill pipe and other components) is removed from the wellbore and setback. When removing the entire drill string from the well, it is typically disconnected and setback in doubles or triples until the drill bit is retrieved and exchanged. This process of pulling everything out of the hole and running it all back in the hole is known as “tripping.”
Tripping is non-drilling time and, therefore, an expense. Efforts have long been made to devise ways to avoid it or at least speed it up. Running triples is faster than running doubles because it reduces the number of threaded connections to be disconnected and then reconnected. Triples are longer and therefore more difficult to handle due to their length and weight and the natural waveforms that occur when moving them around. Manually handling moving pipe in the derrick and at the drill floor level can be dangerous.
It is desirable to have a drilling rig with the capability to increase safety and reduce trip time. It is desirable to have a drilling rig with the capability of handing stands of drilling tubulars to devices alternative to conventional elevators and top drives. It is also desirable to have a system that includes redundancy, such that if an element of the system fails or requires servicing, the task performed by that unit can be taken-up by another unit on the drilling rig.
Most attempts to automate pipe handling are found offshore. However, solutions for pipe delivery on offshore drilling rigs are seldom transferable to onshore land rigs, due to the many differences in economic viability, size, weight, and transportation considerations.
The disclosed subject matter of the application relates to an independent secondary hoisting machine that is adaptable for use on a conventional drilling rig, or on a specialized drilling rig in combination with other equipment designed to take advantage of the auxiliary hoisting capability.
A tubular delivery arm is provided that independently travels vertically along a connection to the drilling mast with lifting capacity limited to that of a stand of tubulars, (connected sections of drill collars, drill pipe, or drill casing). The tubular delivery arm has a tilt capability to move the tubular stands horizontally in the drawworks to V-door direction, reaching positions that include the centerlines for the wellbore, stand hand-off position, mousehole, and the catwalk.
In one embodiment, the tubular delivery arm comprises a dolly vertically translatably connected to a drilling mast. The connection may be sliding as with slide pads or a roller connection or other means. An arm bracket is attached to the dolly. An arm, or pair of arms, is pivotally and rotationally connected to the arm bracket of the dolly. An actuator bracket is connected between the arms, or to the arm. A tilt actuator is pivotally connected between the actuator bracket and the dolly or arm bracket. A clasp is pivotally connected to the lower end of the arm. The tilt actuator permits the clasp to swing over the centerlines of at least the wellbore and a stand hand-off position. The dolly vertically translates the mast in response to actuation of a hoist at the crown of the mast such as by wireline.
In one embodiment, a centerline of a drill pipe secured in the clasp is located between the clasp pivot connections at the lower ends of each arm. In another embodiment, an extendable incline actuator is pivotally connected between each arm and the tubular clasp. Extension of the incline actuators inclines the clasp to permit tilting of heavy tubular stands, such as large collars.
In another embodiment, a rotary actuator is mounted to the arm bracket and having a drive shaft extending through the arm bracket. A drive plate is rotatably connected to the arm bracket and connected to the drive shaft to provide rotation between the dolly and the arm.
In another embodiment, a grease dispenser is attached to the tubular delivery arm proximate to the clasp for dispensing grease into the pin connection of a tubular stand secured by the clasp of the tubular delivery arm. This embodiment permits automatic greasing (conventionally known as “doping”) the box connection positioned above the clasp.
The tubular delivery arm provides a mechanism for use in a new drilling rig configuration or for adaptation to a conventional drilling rig system to reduce the time for tripping drilling tubulars.
As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the assembly disclosed may be modified and the same advantageous result obtained. It will also be understood that as described, the mechanism can be operated in reverse to remove drill stand lengths of a drill string from a wellbore for orderly bridge crane stacking. Although a configuration related to triples is being described herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that such description is by example only and would apply equally to doubles and fourables.
The objects and features of the disclosed embodiments will become more readily understood from the following detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the principles and features of the disclosed embodiments.
The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the tubular delivery arm, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from their spirit and scope. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
In the embodiment illustrated, dolly 510 is configured for sliding connection to mast 10. An adjustment pad 514 may be attached to each end 511 and 512 of dolly 510. A slide pad 516 is located on each adjustment pad 514. Slide pads 516 are configured for sliding engagement with mast 10 of drilling rig 1 or a rail set affixed to mast 10 for that purpose. Adjustment pads 514 permit precise centering and alignment of dolly 510 on mast 10. Similar slide assemblies or roller assemblies may be substituted for this purpose. Alternatively, a rack and gear arrangement may be provided.
An arm bracket 520 extends outward from dolly 510 in the V-door direction. An arm 532 (or pair of arms 532) is pivotally and rotational connected to arm bracket 520. Although the embodiments illustrated depict a pair of arms, they are connected in a manner to function as a single arm, and it will be understood that a single arm 532 could be depicted having an opening above clasp 550 for clearance of tubular stand 80. An actuator bracket 542 is connected to arm 532, or as between arms 532. In one embodiment, a tilt actuator 540 is pivotally connected between actuator bracket 542 and one of either dolly 510 or arm bracket 520.
Pivot connection 534 is located on the lower end of each arm 532 (or on a bifurcated end of arm 532). Clasp 550 is pivotally connected to the pivot connections 534 at the lower end of each arm 532. In one embodiment, pivot connections 534 are located on the center of the lower end of arms 532 and clasp 550 is likewise pivotally connected at its center.
In this embodiment, a centerline of tubular stand 80 is secured in clasp 550 and located between pivot connections 534 at the lower ends of each arm 532. In this configuration, clasp 550 is self-balancing to suspend tubular stand 80 or a tubular section (drill pipe or drill collar) 2 vertically, without additional inclination controls or adjustments.
In the embodiment illustrated, a first pair of slide pads 516 is located on the driller's side end 511 of dolly 510, and a second pair of slide pads 516 is located on the off-driller's side end 512 of dolly 510.
In one embodiment, a rotary actuator 522 is mounted to arm bracket 520 and has a drive shaft (not shown) extending through arm bracket 520. A drive plate 530 is rotatably connected to the underside of arm bracket 520 and connected to the drive shaft of rotary actuator 522. Rotary actuator 522 provides control of the rotational connection between dolly 510 and arm 532.
In this embodiment, tilt actuator 540 is pivotally connected between actuator bracket 542 and drive plate 530 to provide control of the pivotal relationship between dolly 510 and arm 532.
In one embodiment, slide pads 516 are slidably engageable with the front side (V-door side) 12 of drilling mast 10 to permit tubular delivery arm 500 to travel up and down front side 12 of mast 10. Rails may be attached to mast 10 for receiving slide pads 516. Tilt actuator 540 permits clasp 550 to swing over at least well center 30 and mousehole 40.
An arm bracket 520 extends from dolly 510. A drive plate 530 is rotatably connected to the underside of arm bracket 520. One or more arms 532 are pivotally and rotationally connected to arm bracket 520. An actuator bracket 542 is connected to arms 532. A rotary actuator 522 is mounted to arm bracket 520 for controlled rotation of arms 532 relative to dolly 510.
A tilt actuator 540 is pivotally connected between actuator bracket 542 and drive plate 530. Extension of tilt actuator 540 provides controlled pivoting of arms 532 relative to dolly 510. A tubular clasp 550 is pivotally connected to the pivot connections 534 at the lower end of arms 532.
In this embodiment, one or more extendable incline actuators 552 are pivotally connected to arms 523 at pivot connections 554, and to opposing pivot connections 534 on clasp 550. Extension of the incline actuators 552 inclines clasp 550 and tilts any tubular stand 80 held in clasp 550. This embodiment permits tilting of heavy tubular stands 80, such as large collars.
In another embodiment, a grease dispenser 560 is extendably connected to a lower end of arm 532 and extendable to position grease dispenser 560 at least partially inside of a box connection of tubular stand 80 secured by clasp 550. A grease supply line is connected between grease dispenser 560 and a grease reservoir 570 (see
In another embodiment illustrated in
The automatic greasing (doping) procedure improves safety by eliminating the manual application at the elevated position of tubular stand 80. The procedure adjusts to the height of the tubular stand 80 length automatically and is centered automatically by its connectivity to tubular delivery arm 500. The procedure may improve the efficiency of the distribution of the grease as well as cleanliness, thereby further improving safety by reducing splatter, spills, and over-application.
In this manner, tubular delivery arm 500 is delivering and centering tubular stands 80 for top drive 200. This design allows independent and simultaneous movement of tubular delivery arm 500 and top drive 200. This combined capability provides accelerated trip speeds. The limited capacity of tubular delivery arm 500 to lift tubular stands 80 of drill pipe drill collars allows the weight of tubular delivery arm 500 and mast 10 to be minimized. Tubular delivery arm 500 can be raised and lowered along the front 12 of mast 10 with an electronic crown winch. Alternatively, tubular delivery arm 500 can be raised and lowered along mast 10 by means of a rack and pinion arrangement, with drive motors.
If used herein, the term “substantially” is intended for construction as meaning “more so than not.”
Having thus described the various embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure.
The present document is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/255,997, filed Nov. 19, 2015, and to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/330,012, filed Apr. 29, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2016/061956 | 11/15/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62330012 | Apr 2016 | US | |
| 62255997 | Nov 2015 | US |
